The present invention relates to a new and distinctive soybean cultivar, designated R08-4004. All publications cited in this application are herein incorporated by reference.
There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possesses the traits to meet the program goals. The goal is to combine in a single variety an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. These important traits may include but are not limited to higher seed yield, resistance to diseases and insects, better stems and roots, tolerance to drought and heat, altered fatty acid profile, abiotic stress tolerance, improvements in compositional traits, and better agronomic quality.
These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing and distribution, can take from six to twelve years from the time the first cross is made. Therefore, development of new cultivars is a time-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficient use of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.
Soybean (Glycine max), is an important and valuable field crop. Thus, a continuing goal of soybean plant breeding is to develop stable, high yielding soybean cultivars that are agronomically sound. The reasons for this goal are to maximize the amount of grain produced on the land used and to supply food for both animals and humans. To accomplish this goal, the soybean breeder must select and develop soybean plants that have the traits that result in superior varieties.
The expanding soybean-based food markets in Japan and the United States have generated considerable interest among American soybean producers in recent years. Japan imports more than 50 million bushels of food-grade soybeans a year for soyfood production and 75% of which were produced in the United States. The demand for food-quality soybeans for direct consumption in the United States has been increasing due to proven and publicized health benefits and nutritional value from soy products. Processed soybean foods consist of a variety of products which include tofu (bean curd), yuba (soy protein extracts from soy milk), kinako (roasted soy powder), nimame (cooked beans), and soy milk as non-fermented products; and soy sauce, miso, and natto as fermented products. In addition, edamame and bean sprouts are popular fresh soybean products. Among these soy-based food products, tofu, soymilk, and natto are predominant. Tofu and natto occupy about 50% of the soyfood market and use at least 25 million bushels of specialty beans annually. The Japanese natto market is relatively small and imports approximately 5 million bushels a year.
Soymilk is an aqueous extract of whole soybeans containing the water soluble proteins and carbohydrates and most of the oil of the soybeans. Soymilk has traditional and non-traditional categories. Traditional soymilk is the plain soymilk. Non-traditional soymilk is as nutritious as cow's milk by adding protein isolates, vitamins, and minerals such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Soymilk is a healthy alternative to cow's milk because it does not contain lactose, which can cause milk allergies, it has less saturated fat than cow's milk and is a good source of lecithin, vitamin E, isoflavones, and organic chemicals. The popularity of soymilk has grown fast in the U.S. and since refrigerated soymilk came onto the market in the late 1990s, it occupies over 80% of soymilk market. The benefit of soymilk industry went from $156 million in 1997 to over $800 million in 2005. Seed characteristics and quality requirements of soymilk and tofu include: large seed, yellow hilum, high water absorption, high protein, and high sugar.
Tofu is a soy protein gel, made of the soymilk and solidified with either glucono-delta-lactone (GDL) or calcium sulphate dihydrate (CS) as a coagulant. With an increase in Asian immigration to the U.S., greater acceptance of soyfood and increasing recognition of the health benefits of soyfood, tofu consumption is increasing rapidly in North America. Smoothness, firmness, and a coherent texture of tofu are all desirable for consumption. Tofu yield has been evaluated at a given water/bean ratio and is strongly correlated to the amount of soybean seed protein content. Generally, tofu processors believe that large-seeded, high protein soybeans produce higher tofu yield with less seed coat material than small-seeded soybeans. Additionally, large-seeded soybeans result in high tofu yield, and high-protein seeds are important for high-protein tofu.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification.